Visits to Bilibid inmates resume October 30, BuCor says

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections has restored visitation privileges for inmates held at the New Bilibid Prison.

In a statement Tuesday, the Bureau said that the visits will resume on Wednesday, October 30.

This was after the visitation privileges were suspended during demolition of illegal structures, including luxury shanties or “kubols,” inside the NBP.

READ: Explosion rocks Bilibid as demolition of illegal structures continues

“To accommodate all the visitors at Maximum Security Compound, schedule of visit for [Persons Deprived of Liberty] at Maximum shall be on per quadrant,” the statement read.

The following schedule shall be implemented:

NBP North, Quadrant 1: Wednesday and Saturday

• Bldg. 1 – 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
• Bldg. 6 – 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
• Bldg. 12 – 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Hospital ward 1, 3, 5 and annex – 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

NBP West, Quadrant 2: Thursday and Sunday

• Bldg. 4 – 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
• Bldg. 7 – 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
• Bldg. 11B – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Hospital Ward 2, 4 and TBTU – 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

NBP South, Quadrant 3: Wednesday and Saturday

• Bldg. 3 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Bldg. 8 – 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Bldg. 13 – 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

NBP East, Quadrant 4: Thursday and Sunday

• Bldg. 2 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Bldg. 5 – 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Bldg. 9 – 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The bureau reminded the public that visitors will be subjected to usual body frisking, inspection of bags and belongings and, if necessary, strip searching.

Deaths inside Bilibid

Last week, families of Bilibid inmates urged the Corrections bureau to lift the supposed lockdown in the Maximum Security Compound and to restore their right to visit ailing relatives.

KAPATID (Families and Friends of Political Prisoners) spokesperson Fides Lim also called attention to the situation of inmates inside the Bilibid’s maximum security compound where inmates died allegedly due to lack of medical attention.

The STAR reported October 29 that 29 inmates of the NBP have died since the demolition started October 9.

Data from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) showed that 10 convicts died of communicable diseases while 14 others died of non-communicable ailments. Five inmates have yet to be subjected to autopsy.

Six inmates died of pneumonia. Four others died of tuberculosis.

Seven inmates died of heart-related illnesses. The remaining five died of sepsis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and peritonitis or tissue inflammation in the abdominal wall, respectively.

Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco said that the Bureau reported that there was “nothing out of the extraordinary” in the cited deaths which are not related to the demolition operations. — with a report from The STAR/Ghio Ong